


And traces of Death hung off his fingertips

by goldenzingy46



Series: MoD Harry and the veil [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Ginny Weasley Bashing, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Master of Death Harry, Master of Death Harry Potter, Ron Weasley Bashing, So many people asked for a sequel so here's a full length fic, The Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter) is Terrible, This became crack, irregular updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22374502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenzingy46/pseuds/goldenzingy46
Summary: Harry is the Master of Death. Dumbledore is a manipulative old goat. Ron and Ginny are so scared of Voldemort they turn against Harry. Hermione tries to stop it. And Death?Well, let it never be said that Death would turn down a chance for chaos.Full length version of my oneshot "In which Harry strolls out of the veil", because you guys wanted a sequel
Series: MoD Harry and the veil [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610599
Comments: 51
Kudos: 281





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moonlight22oa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlight22oa/gifts), [littlemsterious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemsterious/gifts), [FiveInBinaryOr101](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveInBinaryOr101/gifts).



Harry opened his eyes, only to find himself in a courtroom.

Now he remembered - he was on trial for "illegally harbouring a fugitive". And this didn't even mean Sirius! He would gladly have pleased guilty if that were the case, he would go to Hell and back for him!

But no, it was for being Voldemort's horcrux. Like he had a choice! Honestly, this was so unfair.

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked down from the podium. "Harry Potter, you have been charged with harbouring a fugitive, the recently deceased Tom Marvolo Riddle, more commonly known as Lord Voldemort. How do you plead?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not guilty. I killed him, did you forget?"

He was ignored as the legal advisors turned around to speak to Kingsley.

"We are in a position to proceed with the trial today."

Kingsley called in the first prosecution witness.

"Please repeat after me," the usher murmured. "I do solemnly, sincerely and truly, declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Said witness mumbled the oath as required.

"And you understand that lying to the court will result in two years of Azkaban for perjury?"

"Yes, sir."

The usher left the courtroom and the prosecution lawyer stood up, smiling smugly.

"Ronald Weasley, has Mr. Potter ever mentioned to you about this soul shard, or Horcrux?"  
  
Ron looked uncomfortable for a second, sending an apologetic look at Harry. "Uh, yes, sir. He told us, after the battle, that Snape had left him memories detailing the loaction of the final horcrux. He said it was in him and he had gone to Voldemort so he could kill him and the Horcrux would be removed."

"And is it true that without this tie to Earth it would have been easier to kill V-Voldemort?"

Another nervous shuffle and affirmative.

"That will be all from me Mr. Weasley, but please remain standing for my learned collegue."

Harry almost sighed in relief as his defence lawyer stood up.

"Mr. Weasley, is it true you have been the defendant's friend since the train ride to Hogwarts?"

"Uh, yes, sir," Ron answered, looking confused.

"So no doubt you expected riches from being his friend, all of which you did not recieve?"

"Objection! Relevance?"

Kingsley spoke up. "Mr. Weasley, that will be all. Please return to your seat. May I call the next prosecution witness, Ms. Ginerva Weasley to the court?"

After the same round of oaths that Ron had taken, the questioning began.

"Did Mr. Potter ever speak to you about this Horcrux, or soul shard?"

"Well, he hasn't spoken directly to me about it, but he has spoken to my brother about it, and there were some quite obvious pointers to him containing a soul shard early on."

"Oh? In that case, Ms. Weasley, could you please state these for the court?"

Ginny looked unsure for a second before speaking. "Well, as early on as I can remember, he was having pains in his scar whenever You-Know-Who was experiencing a particularly strong emotion. By fourth year, he was having visions of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and in fifth year he recieved a fake one, shortly after which he was possessed by him. He continued having these visions up until the battle, as far as I know."

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us, Ms. Weasley?"

"Well, he got possessed after a fake vision from the Dark Lord that encouraged him to go to the Department of Mysteries. He broke into the Department of Mysteries and stole prophecy because he believed his godfather was being tortured there."

The lawyer had a nasty glint in his eye. "And who, exactly, is Mr. Potter's godfather?"

The court waited with baited breath for Ginny's answer.

Ginny tipped her chin in the air. "Why, Sirius Black of course!"

The court was in outrage. Kingsley hit the gavel against the desk, yelling "Order in the court! I say, order! Order!"

Once the court was silent once more, the lawyer delivered his final question, which would seal the nail for Harry's execution. "And, Ms. Weasley, may I presume this Sirius Black was the mass murderer, V-Voldemort's right hand man, who escaped from Azkaban during your second year at Hogwarts?"

"Of course! Sirius Black was staying at No. 12 Grimmauld Place, which was under a fidelius charm, with Harry the previous summer. Harry was devastated at his death."

Deathly silence covered the courtroom, nobody having been expecting that answer.

The lawyer was the first to recover. "Ah, yes, Ms. Weasley. Thank you, this information has been very helpful. No further questions. But please, remaind standing for my learned colleague."

His defense lawyer stood up and blustered through the cross examination, mostly questioning the guilt of Sirius and how close Ginny was to Harry, and whether she could have misunderstood something. All in all, it was a failure.

"I would like to call the defendent, Mr. Harry J. Potter, to the stand!"

He calmly walked over to the stand, uncaring. He knew it didn't really matter what happened now. His fate had been sealed. He repeated the oath when asked, and braced himself for the questioning.

"Mr. Potter, is it true that you had a shard of the Dark Lord's soul in your scar?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how it got there?"

"According to Snape's memories, Dumbledore believed it came from when the killing curse bounced off my head as a baby."

"So you didn't accept it willingly?"

"No! Why would I want a mass murderer's soul in my head?"

A random shout came from the crowd. "Why did you want a mass murderer in your house?"

His lawyer ignored it. "Why did you stay with Sirius Black in the summer before your fifth year at Hogwarts?"

"He was my godfather, and he was innocent. Why wouldn't I stay with him?"

"If he was innocent, then who commited the crimes of the death of thirteen muggles, and betrayed your parents?

"Peter Pettigrew."

"I have no further questions. Please remain standing for my learned collegue."

Harry watched, uninterested, as the cross examination began. He repeated the oath without even deigning to look up, waiting for his questioning to be over.

"Mr. Potter, you have previously affirmed the existence of this soul shard. Is this correct?"

"Yes, I was an unwilling horcrux."

"And this Horcrux bound V-Voldemort to the living?"

"Along with many others, one of which was still intact at the time I discovered the one within me."

"And it is true that without this horcrux, Voldemort could have been killed earlier?"

"Not whilst Nagini, his snake, was still alive."

"And you would have visions of V-Voldemort?"

"Yes."

"Yet you did not consider the possibility that you could be a horcrux?"

"No."

"And you knew how horcruxes could be destroyed?"

"Yes. I destroyed two beforehand."

"So, I put this forth to the court, that the defendant, Harry Potter, knew of the horcrux's existence within him, and decided to ignore it until the time came in which it could be destroyed in order to ensure that he would get the glory for killing Lord V-Voldemort, the Dark Lord. Thank you, and no further questions."

Harry was escorted back to his seat, not that he needed to be. It wasn't like he was planning on running, it wouldn't make a difference to his fate.

Hermione was called as a witness, repeating the oath smoothly. Harry could only watch as his defense lawyer butchered his case, before the cross examination began, and he listened to the smug tones of the prosecution lawyer once more.

"Ms. Granger. You were Mr. Potter's best friend throughout school, were you not?"

"Well, me and Ron were anyway."

"And had you not ever wished that you could date, and possibly marry Mr. Potter?"

"Objection! Relevence?"

Kingsley sighed. "Objection denied. Please, continue."

"Of course not! I'm engaged to Ron! Everyone knows that Harry had eyes for only Ginny!"

"Ah. So, when you realised that you couldn't access Mr. Potter's money and political influence, you needed something that would give you more of a booster than you could get, as a mere muggleborn, and turned to Mr. Weasley."

"No! Of course not! How could you insinuate-"

"Thank you, and no further questions."

Kingsley stood up once more. "All in favour of Mr. Potter's innocence, please light your wands."

Only a few wands lit up.

"All in favour of his execution, please light your wand."

The courtroom was awash with light, and Kingsley spoke once more. "Aurors, please escort Mr. Potter to the Death Chamber, and escort Ms Granger to a holding cell until a trial can be held."

* * *

Harry remained calm, even in front of the veil that he lost his godfather to.

"Fitting, isn't it? You lost your mass murdering godfather to the same veil! Seeing as you clearly liked him so much, you can join him!" a random member of the crowd yelled.

"Mr. Potter," Kingsley said. "We will give you two choices. The first option is, you can walk into the veil. The second option is that we will push you in."

Harry didn't both to answer him, merely walking into the white mist and let himself fall.

"'Sup Death," he greeted.

"Master," he replied.

"Why did Ron and Gin betray me?" he wondered aloud. It was one of the few things he wasn't sure about.

"Dumbledore told them to, before his death," was the toneless reply.

"Damn that man! Is he still here? I'd love to give him a piece of my mind... and a black eye."

"No, I believe either Fate or Destiny snuck him out when I wasn't looking, they both hate you."

"Time, too? Or can I go back and run away with Sirius?"

"All three of the triplets hate you, master. You must return."

"Sure," Harry snorted, imagining their faces. "Bye Death."

"Goodbye master."

And Harry strolled back out of the veil.

* * *

This is the same as the oneshot. Feel free to skip this chapter if you have already read that.


	2. The Veil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is where it actually develops into a fic, and not just the oneshot I posted before

Stepping into the veil was an interesting experience, to say the least. It is cool against the skin, and you're surrounded by the whispers of the dead, as they call for you to join the, join them in death. Then your body tingles and you feel like the veil is slurping it up, which it is, as your body dissolves away, leaving you a disembodied soul. There is a split second of agonising pain, then silence.

Coming out, on the other hand, would drive any mortal insane, and probably those who have transended mortality, too. Only the Master of Death could survive this, and maybe Harry was a little bit insane, anyway. It is the sheer, unending pain, the reconstruction of a body to house the soul. Every nerve that, as soon as it is created, it starts sending rapid-fire messages to the brain, causing more pain that it can handle.Then there were the screams. The dead don't want anyone to leave, and the feeling of icy fingers clawaing and clutching at newly reconstructed flesh, pulling hair and trying to convince you to stay will not be something Harry will ever forget. But, as it is Death's will, Harry found himself peeling the white mists of the veil from his arms, and steppng onto the floor of which he had just stepped off, and smiling at a crying 'Mione.

"Hey 'Mione," he said. "Missed you."

* * *

"Arrest him," Shacklebolt said, ignoring the silent shock around him. But, as expected, the Aurors were still silently standing there, numb from the shock.

_Because he just-!_

Harry smirked, pulling the Elder Wand from nowhere and conjuring a chair and foot stool, plonking himself down and flipping his feet up.   
  
"I must say," he snarked, sipping his tea. "This is not the welcome I expected. One would think you didn't miss me!"

That startled them into action, and it was like being in the middle of a zoo.

"This is dark magic!"

"Necromancy!"

"Lock him away!"

And various other stupid statements.

Tha Aurors swarmed around him, and Harry let them pluck the wand from his fingers and snap it. He let them cuff him and drag him to a Ministry holding cell, guarded by fifteen Aurors at all times, and right next to Hermione's cell, as she awaited her trial. He would comfort her as they tried to think of other way's to kill him, and he didn't think it was going to be long.


	3. Yet another attempt to kill Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I cheated you guys on the last chapter, not gonna lie

Hermione Granger was curled up in the corner of her cell, awaiting trial. She was well aware that someone had just been shoved into the cell next to her, but didn't care about some common criminal. All she cared about was that Harry had survived the veil, and was no doubt being killed somewhere else. And how could Ron and Ginny do that to him? No matter what Dumbledore said, Harry was their friend, their best friend! She could easily remember how many times they had played chess, exploding snap ahd Quidditch (well she didn't play Quidditch but the rest of them did) together, and this is how they repayed him. They repayed him by betraying him and having him killed, that's how. She felt repulsed by ever having liked Ron, and was prepared to curl up even further, wallowing in distress, when she heard a voice from the cell next door.

"'Mione? Can you hear me? Hermione? Are you okay?"

Was that... Harry?

* * *

He probably made a small 'oof' sound as he was thrust, violently, into the cell, and took a moment before regaining his senses. He was probably littered with bruises from their not-so-gentle man-handling, that was for sure, and as he was checking for them, he noticed something strange on his hand. It just looked like a scar, at first, like someone had cut the shape into the pad of his thumb, and it had scarred over. Except, he didn't remember getting it. He would have remembered a scar that looked just like the Deathly Hallows-

Oh. He'd just have to ask Death what the hell he was thinking.

A sniffle from the adjacent cell reminded him of what he was supposed to be doing.

"'Mione?"

No reply.

"Can you hear me?"

Still no reply.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" he asked, softly.

He saw two gleams of her brown eyes, red and sore from crying, peer out at him. He then abruptly jerked backwards as Hermione flung herself at the bars.

"HARRY!" she shrieked, face pressed up as close to him as possible.

"'Mione," he whispered, "It's all going to be okay."

"How can you say that?" she cried hysterically. "They're going to kill you!"

Harry breathed, slowly. He knew he had to calm her down as soon as possible. The best way to do that seemed to be to tell her the blunt and honest truth. "I'm the Master of Death."

Her eyes were wide with shock, but before she could say anything, Harry heard footsteps.

"'Mione. Go back to how you were before, quickly."

She gave him a questioning look but curled up in a ball against without complaint, brown eyes glittering as she watched him.

"Don't look, 'Mione. Promise me."

She closed her eyes, and whispered, "I promise."

He dropped into the middle of the floor, folded his hands in his lap, and tilted his head towards the ceiling, waiting for the Aurors to arrive. 

"Potter," the first Auror said. Dawlish, if he remembered correctly. "Say hello to death for me."

"Oh, I will," Harry snorted. "Say hello to Death, that is."

Dawlish turned around and held out his hand, presumably for a pass to use an Unforgiveable. Harry took the chance to turn his head at 'Mione, who was looking again, and shake his head minutely. He didn't get a chance to see fi she followed his orders before Dawlish turned back around.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry heard a scream, and realised that she hadn't looked away, and hoped she would be okay as his last breath was jearked out of his body.

* * *

"Master, could you not try to stay alive for more than one hour?"

"Wonderful greeting, Death."

"I believe your bushy haired friend is traumatised, having seen you die twice now.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm gong to go back anyway. Death, we need to have _words._ "

"About what, Master?"

Harry brandshed his thumb at him. "About this scar-"

He stared. The was a distinct lack of a scar.

"What?"

"Master, you always revert back to the form that you died in when you die again."

"Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to be broad-shouldered, muscled, 6"5 man, but right now I'm skinny as!"

"Sorry, Master," Death said, tone dry and not sounding sorry at all.

"Anyway, that scar!"

"Oh, that scar," Death muttered, looking as sheepish as Death could look. "How else what I supposed to let you summon the Deathly Hallows at will?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Only you Death, only you."

"Go back to the land of the living, Master, I have souls to sort."

"Jeez, okay, fine. Be like that Death. See you later!"

Harry disappeared and Death rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Dig a grave for him."

Well that was a pleasant way to wake up.

"Bury me shallow, I'll be back!" he yelled, because Harry is a little s***.

"Dammit, Potter, why won't you die? Avada Kedavra!"

* * *

"Master, it's been less than two minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I had to give a sarcastic remark-"

* * *

_Well that was rude of Death._

He probably deserved it, but still.

Then he breathed, because human beings need to breathe, and got a mouthful of soil and dirt, and started scrabbling to get out, panic sending his body into overdrive. Luckily for him, however, it wasn't very far for him to break through.

He sat up, spitting out dirt and casting a scourgify before wrapping himself in his invisibility cloak.

_I know I told them to bury me shallow, but less than a foot is downright rude._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here. have this mess.


	4. In which the ministry believes that they have dealt with Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Sup guys, I'm back! Had my first negative comment to my work, I think I dealt with it okay? Also, thanks to @UnknowableOne, your comment really brightened my day :3
> 
> @Laemon, you get to join the chaos ;)

As Harry journeyed back to the Ministry (it was a five minute walk. Clearly, the ministry workers were as lazy as they were sloppy), he considered what he could do. The most obvious thing would be to get 'Mione from the cells, but wouldn't it be fun to make a dramatic entrance? He wasn't Harry Potter for nothing, of course. 

Now what was the most ridiculous way to catch their attention?

* * *

Strolling through muggle London and using the telephone box entrance was too easy, and he wondered if Death Eaters had come through this way... he doubted whatever he said would get noticed.

"Harry Potter, here for ridiculing the Ministry and breaking into their holding cells," he said. A badge popped out, and he pinned it to his top and continued in.

_Harry Potter_

_Destruction of Ministry property_

"Hmm," he hmm'ed, walking around the edge carefully. Who would react the best?

"Look, did you deal with Potter, Auror Warren?" Kingsley was saying. 

"Yes, Minister Shacklebolt!"

_This will be fun..._

"Yeet!" Harry yelled, tossing a lil' yellow lemon at Kingsley, and watched the resulting chaos.

Until the reducto that hit him in the head.

* * *

"Hi Death!"

"Master, you died a messy death. One would think you didn't even care for the eldritch being who has to tidy you up!"

"Death, I love you, you know that."

"Yes Master, now go away and stop bothering me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may have been forever but this is all I could drag out of my pit of a brain so I hope y'all enjoy


	5. Going On Hiatus, Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, okay, I'm sorry,,,

Hey!

I should probably apologise, firstly, so… sorry.

Yeah, okay, I promised I’d write a sequel, turned out a handful of chapters of bullshit then hid from it for several months. 

You deserve better than that.

You, my readers, have been nothing but kind and patient with me, and you have stood by me as I fell down a rabbit hole of crack and then promptly ignored it, you have left me kudos and bookmarks and comments and god do I love them all so much. I love you all so much. Thank you.

Thank you all so goddamn much.

Perhaps I’ll one day look at this work and go, damn, I like this! I should write some more!

I hope I will. 

Thank you for being patient with me, thank you for being here for me, thank you for reading my fic. 

Thank you.

I’m going to leave this one to rest, for a while, but I swear to everything I hold dear I will be back, one day, even if it takes me years and years. I’ll still be here, on AO3, writing, even if it’s not this fic. 

Find some of my other WIPs:

Serial killer Tom Riddle, detective Harry Potter Tomarry AU: [My Heart Beats Against Your Silver Knife](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24522280).

Tomarry ice skate AU: [Alone On The Ice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28507305).

Or perhaps some of my oneshots:

Tomarry podcast AU: [Riddle Me This](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27104209).

Snarry serial killers: [I’m No Amateur](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23856700).

Crack: [Harry Potter and the Supreme Lord of the Cliches](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25222234).

Gen, detectives and serial killers: [A Little Game Called Murder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28810425).

You can visit my [Discord server](https://discord.gg/37bXdGW), or or [Writeblr](https://goldenzingy46butwriteblr.tumblr.com/), or even just my [Tumblr](https://goldenzingy46.tumblr.com/). 

Hopefully I’ll see you soon, and apologies again.

~Trixie

**Author's Note:**

> You could... poke your head into my [Discord server](https://discord.gg/37bXdGW)? I don't bite (much)!
> 
> Alternately, you could pop into my mess of a Tumblr [here](https://goldenzingy46.tumblr.com/), or my writing Tumblr [here](https://goldenzingy46butwriteblr.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Comments and kudos sustain me :)


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